Let Go Now, Daddy
by JessieLightyear
Summary: A look at Kya and Aang's relationship over the years. Inspired by Crystal Shawanda's "Let Go Now".
1. The Bike Ride

**I don't own Legend of Korra or Aang; I only own my ideas and the fruits of my labors. **

When I was five years old, my Uncle Sokka got me my very first bicycle. I remember as a five year old thinking that bike was my first taste of true freedom. I imagined zipping through the streets of Republic City, maybe even helping my father and Uncle Zuko build everything by running errands. It was a feeling I longed for from the moment I saw the two wheel contraption.

Of course the actual process of learning to ride the bike was much harder in real life than I had pictured it. I expected to hop on the bike and be zipping through the city in a matter of hours, but as two bloody knees and a bruised hip later I realized that would not be the case. I tried for a while on my own, but I realized I needed help if I was ever going to learn how to balance. I told my parents about it at dinner. Dad said he'd help me the next day since he didn't have any meetings. I was ecstatic, not only was I going to get to learn to ride my bike, but time with my dad was somewhat rare. I knew my daddy loved me, but he was splitting his time between the city, my mother, my three year old brother, my one year old brother, and me. This would be just me and my daddy.

I woke up extremely early the next day, even before the sun was up. I got dressed and quietly tiptoed into my parents' room. They were both still asleep, my daddy's arm lying across my mommy's waist. I walked over to his side of the bed and gently shook him a few times.

"Daddy, Daddy it's time to wake up." I said softly. He groaned a bit, "Daddy it's time to wake up, you said you'd help me learn to ride my bike." He moaned and rubbed his eyes. "Daddy I'm ready to get started." He sat up and looked out the window.

"Princess the sun isn't even up." He said.

"I want to get started Daddy." I said climbing off the bed. "Let's go Daddy!" he chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Alright princess, but first Daddy has to get dressed and we have to eat breakfast." I was so happy. I nodded quickly and ran out of the room down to the kitchen. I got bowls out for me and Daddy and some fruit, just like Mommy always got me for breakfast. Daddy came in right as I was put out the glasses.

"Well look at you." He said smiling, "It's almost all set up." I smiled.

"Will you cut the fruit daddy? Mommy doesn't want me to use the knives."

"Watch this." He said tossing the fruit in the air. He used airbending slices to cut the fruit up and then gently lowered it into the bowls. I laughed.

"Do it again Daddy." I said laughing. He grinned and tossed up another moon peach. I laughed again.

"How about we eat breakfast?" I nodded and sat down at the table. We took time to thank the spirits than ate the fruit. I told Daddy about how my bike worked. He sat there and listened, asking questions when he needed to. Once we were done, we went out to the back to where my bike was on its kickstand. "Alright Princess, are you ready?" I nodded.

Learning to ride my bike with Daddy was much easier than on my own. He made air bubble next to my bike so that when I fell they caught me, and he ran along behind me holding the bike steady. The faster we went, the easier it was for me to balance. That's when it clicked; the key was to go faster than I had been. It was easier to balance when I was going faster. I wanted to try it on my own; I wanted to taste that freedom I had spent so long dreaming about. We took off again. I pedaled with my daddy holding the seat, and then I took a deep breath,

"You can let go now Daddy." I said.

"Are you sure Princess?" He asked, clearly concerned. I nodded.

"You can let go now Daddy; I think I'm ready to do this on my own." I said. He took a deep breath then let go of my seat. I wobbled a bit, but I did it all on my own. I laughed as I flew down the courtyard of the Air Temple. I was moving, all on by myself. I cheered, and behind me my Daddy cheered. I realized I didn't know how to stop though, and soon I was falling again. Daddy caught me and the air bubble brought me back over to him and he lifted me up.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded.

"I just didn't know how to stop." I started to squirm so he would put me down. "I want to go again."

"Are you sure, after you just fell off?"

"Well, it's still a little bit scary, but I'll be okay." He sighed,

"You're so big Princess." He whispered then kissed my forehead and set me down. I ran off to my bike, set it up, and took off again. I made it all the way across the courtyard and then came to a messy, but effective stop.

"Daddy I did it!" I cheered and he smiled at me.

Looking back, it was a sad smile that my father gave me that day. He was very proud of me, I know that, but that was the first time I ever asked my father to let go.

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	2. The Wedding

When I was 18, I got married to my lifelong friend, Tomakan. We met when we were young and grew from training partners, to friend, to best friends, and now we were getting married. I remember being so excited for this day, the day I would join his family and he would join mine. It seemed like the ceremony was just a formality really, his older sister, Kanna, had been guiding me my whole life, and I adored his younger sister, Krishna, as if she were my own. Bumi enjoyed playing well pretty much any crazy made up outside games with him and Tenzin found him a formidable Pai Sho opponent. So, in the middle of winter on Air Temple Island, I prepared to marry my best friend.

The day had finally arrived and we were getting down to the final moments before the ceremony. I was carefully putting my earrings in when I heard the knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's just me." He said.

"I'm back here Daddy." I said while I slipped my shoes on. I heard him come in. "How are the boys?" I asked.

"They're fine. Tenzin is trying his best to keep Bumi away from the cake; Tomakan is a little nervous."

"Nervous? He's not thinking of leaving right?" I asked and walked out to the main room.

"No, no, nothing like that, he's just having some wedding day jitters. I was the same way on my wedding day; you can ask your mother." I sighed and came out.

"Well Daddy, how to I look?" I asked. He smiled,

"You're beautiful Princess." I smiled and spun around letting the white and blue down twirl out at the bottom of my gown.

"Mom did a great job on the dress didn't she?"

"You both did." I blushed.

"I only helped with the sleeves; Mom did all the detail work." I turned to look at full length mirror. "And I didn't have anything to do with this" I said quietly and gently touched the proposal necklace Tomakan gave to me. It was beautiful.

"It's time to go Princess." Daddy said to me and offered me his arm.

And then I was standing between the two most important men in my life. One I was a daughter too, and I always would be, and the other I was almost a wife, a lifelong companion. Uncle Sokka was officiating. So he began the ceremony.

"Today, we the friends and family of Tomakan and Kya gather to share their lives with each other. Who presents the bride today?" Tenzin stepped forward.

"I, Tenzin, present my older sister for marriage. I have felt her kindness and love and believe she will bring this to a family and a home." He stepped back and Bumi stepped forward.

"I, Bumi, present my older sister for marriage. I have felt her perseverance and her strength and believe she will bring this to a family and a home." That was probably the most serious he would be all day. My mother stepped forward.

"I, Katara, present my daughter for marriage. I have seen her grow into a lovely considerate young woman and believe she will bring this to a family and a home." It was my father's turn. He stepped forward, but still held my hand.

"I, Aang, present my oldest and only daughter for marriage. I have seen her grow from a small innocent child to a passionate, honest, caring young woman. I believe she will bring this to a family and a home." He took a step back and I squeezed his hand tight.

"Who presents the groom today?" Tomakan's family started to speak on his behalf, and Daddy's hand was still tight around mine; he seemed as scared as I was. I leaned over and whispered.

"You can let go now, Daddy. I'm ready to do this on my own. It still feels a little bit scary but I want you to know. I'll be okay now, Daddy." He looked over at me, a few tears in his eyes.

"I love you to the spirit world and back Princess." He whispered. I smiled at the old phrase we'd always used.

"Tomakan and Kya, you're families have brought you this far and they will continue to be influential in your lives, but now you will strike out and form your own family that is connected by separate from your previous lives. We ask your families to step down now." I turned and hugged my parents one more time then each of my brothers. They stepped down and filed into the front row and I turned to Tomakan. He smiled and I smiled back and Uncle Sokka continued the ceremony.

Of course I still saw my family after I got married, but it was not the same. That's not to say I regret getting married, I still look on that day as one of the happiest ones of my life. It wasn't till I watched my own children get married that I realized the joy and sorrow that comes from giving your baby away to some other person, to some other home.


	3. The End

I ran into the hospital ignoring the biting cold against my skin and threw open the doors. I saw my mother and brothers in the waiting room, along with Lin and Aunt Toph. My mother came up to me.

"Is he… well I mean." I asked. She shook her head.

"He's been waiting for you." She said softly. I swallowed. Was I ready to see him? I bit my lip.

"Mom… what do I say?" I asked.

"Just, just say whatever you need to." She told me softly. I hugged her tightly.

"I love you Mommy." I whispered. I heard the door open again and Tomakan came in with the twins.

"Aunt Lin!" Eliva said.

"Uncle Bumi!" Kenna squeeled. They both climbed out of their father's arms and ran to their relatives. Bumi was more than happy to tickle Kenna and throw her in the air and Lin listened with some interest to the stories Eliva told her. They were only 4; they didn't really understand what was going on. Tomakan came over to me.

"How is he?"

"He's okay now, but they want me to say good-bye." I told him. He kissed my forehead.

"I'll keep the girls with me." I nodded. I stared down the hall, that blank white hallway that seemed to go on forever and started walking down. I found Room 174, a plain white door with my father's name written on it. I pushed open the door and looked inside.

Daddy was lying on a hospital bed. At the foot of the bed, my parents' wedding quilt was folded over the bar. The entire bed was surrounded with metal bars. It reminded me a little of when Tenzin was a baby and my parents put bars around his bed while he was learning to sleep in his 'big boy bed'. A wooden chair was on the left side of the bed. I took off my gloves, hat, and jacket and put them on a cabinet by the door, then walked over to the chair.

"Hi Daddy." I said. He slowly lifted his head and looked over at me. A small smile came over his face. I sat down and slide my hand into his. "Eliva and Kenna are in the lobby with Tomakan. It's just me right now." I started filling the empty air with random bits of information. About how Eliva had accidentally broken one of the vases in the living room and how Kenna was trying to do cart wheels. Eventually I ran out of things to say though. I looked down at my daddy and took a breath. I ran my thumb over his fingers.

"They keep telling us that any day now you'll… you'll" I couldn't say it, so I took a breath and restarted. "They keep telling us that the new Avatar will be born any day now. They want us to say good-bye but Daddy. Daddy I don't want to." I leaned in closer to the bed, resting my head against the metal bars that were on the side. "I love you so much Daddy. You're the best father I could have hoped for. You were always so kind and silly, always made time for us in your day. Daddy, I don't know what I'm going to do without you." My eyes were filled with tears as I spoke. I wiped some away with my free hand and looked at him. He was once the strongest man I'd known, and now his body was failing him; only his eyes held the strength I knew. I took a deep breath, summoned every ounce of courage he'd ever given me, and said.

"But Daddy, you look, I mean, you seem so tired Daddy and Daddy…you can let go now Daddy." I was killing me to say this, but he needed to hear it. "You can let go. You've been fighting for life for so long Daddy, but you can let go now. Your Princess is ready to do this on my own. It's going to be a little bit scary, but I want you to know that I'll be okay now Daddy; you can let go." I was so close to tears at this point that I was shaking. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I love you Daddy." I leaned back and saw him trying to whisper something. I knew, somehow I just knew, that he was trying to tell me one last time that he loved me, to the spirit world and back.


End file.
